


Getting help

by Capnii



Series: Kazukibou [8]
Category: Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-19 01:56:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14864471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capnii/pseuds/Capnii
Summary: NEXT GEN STORYNatsumi (Next Generation) goes to Hajime for counseling, and she's told something she denies.





	Getting help

Natsumi Kuzuryuu’s body trembled as she stood in front of the teacher’s room in Hope’s Peak. Her father would always tell her how helpful this  person was. He’d talk about how he was sure he could have been the best counselor or therapist in the world, if he hadn’t decide to take a path in teaching. Natsumi felt like she needed to go to him; her nightmares were nonstop and that resulted in her losing sleep every night. Natsumi didn’t know why she was nervous about talking to him in the first place, since she’d known him all her life. 

 

She took a deep breath, and walked into the teacher’s room. Her tired eyes locked onto Hajime Hinata, who was grading papers. When he heard footsteps coming his way, he looked up, and turned to face Natsumi. For a brief moment Hajime was surprised; Natsumi had never come to see him before. 

 

“Excuse me Hinata sa-nsei. Hinata sensei,” stuttered Natsumi. “Are you busy? Can I talk to you?”

 

The timidness in Natsumi’s voice, her slouched posture, and her dead tired eyes were a giveaway that something was bothering her. “What’s wrong?” he asked. Hajime gestured for Natsumi to sit next to him.

 

“Can you keep this between us?” Natsumi asked. “You know, as if you were a counselor, and me your client.”

 

“We have a licensed counselor here,” reminded Hajime.

 

“I know, but Dad talks so highly about you and how you’re so good at listening, and giving advice. I’d rather talk to you.”

 

“Well, er,” Hajime blushed slightly, flattered by Natsumi’s comment. “Alright. This will remain between us, unless it affects the safety of everyone in this school.”

 

“It doesn’t. It just has to do with me.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“So, as you can tell, I don’t look my best. I haven’t been sleeping that well. After Takehiko Kurosawa, my ex, was captured, I’ve been having nightmares about him. I’m having these nightmares almost every night, and I can’t go back to sleep after waking up. I thought I can’t dream if I don’t sleep, so I tried staying up all night. That didn’t work, so I’d fall asleep, and have nightmares again. I really don’t know what to do.”

 

“What are the dreams about?” asked Hajime. “I know you said your ex is in them, but what happens?”

 

“Takehiko breaks out, and immediately goes after me. The dreams that end quickly are the ones where he kills me. In others, he tortures me.” Natsumi’s body curled into a ball on instinct. “Then the worse ones are when...he’d assault me. He’d keep saying he loves me, and then kiss me, and touch me and, a-and…” Natsumi’s composure broke in an instant. She buried her head behind her knees and sobbed. “I want him to go away! Do, do you know if there’s anything that’ll help? I don’t care if I have to have my memory wiped! Everything about him was bad!”

 

“Memory wiping is a bit extreme, don’t you think?”

 

“No it isn’t! I’m terrified that he’ll come after me! I’m scared of sleeping alone in my own bed! I can’t live like this!”

 

Hajime sat in his seat, conflicted. He wasn’t sure if he was able to relay any information he knew about Takehiko to Natsumi. Yet at the same time, she needed reassurance that Takehiko would never go after her. Admittedly, he hated seeing Natsumi upset. Seeing her cry was as heartbreaking to him as if she were his own child. 

 

Hesitantly, Hajime leaned closer and whispered to Natsumi, “Keep this between us, but I’m in charge of Kurosawa’s rehabilitation. He’s undergoing treatment in the Neo World Program. He’s incapable of breaking out, and he’s not going to bother you after he’s discharged. I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but I think it’ll help relieve you of your nightmares.”

 

“Are you sure?” asked Natsumi. “What if, what if the program doesn’t work on him? What if he, or what if a cultist breaks him out? He could be out right now and-”

 

“Calm down,” demanded Hajime. “If you keep thinking like that, not only will you lose more sleep, but possibly your sanity. Security is tight where he is. I wouldn’t tell you unless I knew for certain that he wouldn’t leave that program until he was cured.”

 

“It’s just…” Tears ran down Natsumi’s cheeks. “I’m scared.”

 

“I know. You have every reason to be scared. You’re safe. You’ll be safe.”

 

“...Promise?”

 

“Promise.”

 

“I hope so,” sighed Natsumi. Finally, a small smile cracked on her lips. “My dad was right about you; you really do help people feel better. I should have gone to you before, instead of relying on Kazuki all the time.”

 

“Kazuki? Makoto Naegi’s son?”

 

Natsumi nodded. “Yeah, him.”

 

“Your voice perked up just then. Why is that?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Hajime put a finger to his chin in thought. “So how come you didn’t go to him this time?”

 

“Well,” mumbled Natsumi, “he’s got a girlfriend now.”

 

“So?”

 

“Well, it’d look bad if I was seen with Kazuki while he has a girlfriend. That and...his girlfriend upsets me.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I don’t know. She just does. It didn’t start until I saw her with Kazuki when he was in the hospital.”

 

Hajime leaned back in his chair. He looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought. “I don’t think I know all that much about Kazuki Naegi,” he lied. “Tell me more about him.”

 

“That’s a loaded question,” sighed Natsumi. “For the longest time, I saw him as my best friend. When the world looked down on me, Kazuki didn’twouldn’t. So many people would turn away from me, just because my parents were Remnants of Despair. Kazuki didn’t care; he saw me for me.  Whenever I worried that he wouldn’t want to be associated with me, he’d always tell me that he saw the good in me. Then when I stayed in his room for a few days while hiding from Takehiko, he kind of, well, took care of me. If I wanted something, he’d get it for me. He even got me things I didn’t need! Like this one book! He wanted to make sure that I was happy. Not many people would do that, I think.”

 

Natsumi turned her gaze from Hajime as her cheeks turned a bright pink. “We even...slept in the same bed one night. I was terrified of what Takehiko was planning, and I just needed someone to cling onto. Honestly, it was refreshing. Kazuki was so warm, and I was close enough to hear his heart beat really fast.” Natsumi’s smile widened. “It was funny how nervous he was. For me, being next to him like that made me feel safe. Even though I was scared, he calmed me down.” Natsumi paused. “Oh my god, please don’t tell my dad that I slept in the same bed as Kazuki! He’ll flip!”

 

Blatantly, Hajime stated, “You love him.”

 

“No!” squeaked Natsumi. “I don’t love him!”

 

“I’m not an expert on love,” said Hajime, “but I’m pretty sure you feeling safe, happy, and upset that he has a girlfriend and can’t be close to him is you loving him.”

 

“Oh come on!” groaned Natsumi. “You’re only saying that because he’s a boy, and I’m a girl! If I did all those things with a girl, then nobody would bat an eye. You do those with a boy and people think it’s love.”

 

“You’re also happier when you talk about him. You blushed when you mentioned sharing a bed with him and the way you talk about him having a girlfriend makes me think you’re jealous.”

 

“I have no reason to be in love with him. I cuddled with him because I was scared of my ex. I gave him flowers, treats, and a kiss on the forehead while he was in the hospital because I was thankful for him saving my life. Who doesn’t give someone flowers when they’re in the hospital?”

 

“A kiss on the forehead?”

 

Natsumi froze. “I-I don’t know! Isn’t that a thing you do when you’re super happy?”

 

“So are you trying to convince me that you don’t love him, or are you trying to convince yourself?”

 

“I  _ know _ I don’t love him!”

 

Hajime shook his head. “I won’t argue with you. However, don’t you think it’s time you admit to yourself how you feel?”

 

“What kind of therapist are you?”

 

“I’m not a therapist.”

 

“But you have the abilities to be one!”

 

“That doesn’t make me a therapist.” Hajime sighed, and stood up. “It’s almost time for class. Just think about your feelings, instead of immediately brushing them off.”

 

“...Thank you.”

 

As Natsumi walked outside the teacher’s room and made her way back to her classroom, she caught sight of Kazuki walking hand-in-hand with his girlfriend, Minako. Natsumi felt her stomach drop when she saw the two smiling at one another as they walked up the stairs to their classroom. Natsumi took a deep breath, and walked back to class. 

 

Hajime’s words swarmed Natsumi’s head. Confusion and anger clouded her mind. She hated how Hajime tried to tell her how she felt, but at the same time she couldn’t help but wonder if he was right. Over and over, she told herself that she didn’t love Kazuki. Yet seeing Kazuki with another girl hurt her. If Natsumi wasn’t in the middle of class, she would have screamed. 

 

As if to add insult to injury, on the way to Natsumi’s club, Minako stopped her in the middle of the hallway. It was strange for Natsumi at first to look down to talk to someone, but she couldn’t look at Minako in the eyes. Natsumi could barely look at Minako at all. Minako was naturally pretty. Her short height and wide smile could make any guy fall for her. Her voice, and her mannerisms were a bonus. Minako was Kazuki’s type. 

 

“Excuse me, Kuzuryuu?” Minako mumbled. “Do you have a moment?”

 

“What do you want?” grumbled Natsumi. 

 

“It’s just, well, I was wondering if maybe after our clubs are done, we could go get smoothies together?”

 

Natsumi’s brows furrowed as she bit the inside of her lip. “Why would you want to hang out with me?” Natsumi felt insulted, as if Minako was asking to hang out as a way to boast about dating Kazuki. 

 

“Well, you seem like a nice person, and-”

 

“Who set you up to ask me?”

 

“Um…” Minako hesitated before answering, “well, Kazuki mentioned that he’s kind of worried about you-”

 

“He’s worried about me?” squeaked Natsumi.

 

“Yeah, and I also noticed you weren’t hanging around him much and I thought-”

 

“What? Just cause I’m not joined at his hip, there’s something wrong with me? I have a life outside of him.”

 

“Hey!” Minako snapped. “I’m trying to be friendly with you, Kuzuryuu! I’m not here out of pity! I was just like everyone else who wanted nothing to do with you! Kazuki insisted that deep down, you were a nice person. I decided to invite you  out of the goodness of my heart. If you’re treating Kazuki the same way you’re treating me right now, then I don’t know how he can see any good in you!”

 

Natsumi’s hands curled into fists. Desperately, she wanted to send Minako flying out of the building. She hung her head low, unable and unwilling to look at Minako’s scowl. Natsumi didn’t need a reminder of how poorly she treated Kazuki in the past; she didn’t need to hear it from his girlfriend. 

 

“You’re,” Natsumi stuttered, “You’re such a-” Natsumi’s fists shook. “No. You’re right. I treated him like crap, and I realized it when it was too late.”

 

“It isn’t too late,” Minako replied. Her voice had calmed down exponentially since her outburst. “You can apologize to him and make things right.”

 

Natsumi shook her head. “You two are dating. It wouldn’t look right for me to go to him.”

 

“You don’t love him, so why should that be an issue?” Minako waited for a response from Natsumi, only for her to stay quiet. “Do...Do you love him? Kuzuryuu? Do you love Kazuki?”

 

It took a snap of Minako’s fingers to get Natsumi out of her trance.  “No!” she screeched. “I don’t love him!”

 

Minako took a step back. “I was just asking. Jeez.”

 

“Shit,” Natsumi grumbled. “I’m sorry. I just don’t like being asked that.”

 

“Why would it bother you?”

 

Natsumi sighed. “I don’t know.” Tears began to form in the corner of Natsumi’s eyes. “Just...promise me you won’t break Kazuki’s heart. He doesn’t deserve to get hurt.”

 

“I promise.”  

 

* * *

 

 

Natsumi let out a long sigh when she finally returned to her dorm. With the knowledge that Takehiko Kurosawa was in the Neo World Program with no possibilities of escape, she thought she could finally relax. However, she couldn’t stop thinking about when Hajime declared so boldly that she loved Kazuki. Natsumi disliked how he could assume her feelings the way he did, but as the day had gone by, she couldn’t help but second-guess herself. Hajime wasn’t the first person to assume she loved Kazuki. Fellow club members, classmates, passerby, and now Minako Suzuki all thought she loved him. The only person that wasn’t convinced she loved him, was Natsumi herself

Natsumi looked up at the ceiling while she thought about her conversation with Hajime. The one thing he said that stuck out in her mind the most, was when he asked her who she was trying to convince when she said she didn’t love Kazuki. Hajime was so certain of her feelings, and now Natsumi didn’t know how she felt.

 

She asked herself what the point of being in love with Kazuki was in the first place. One reason she thought of, was that Kazuki had a girlfriend he was happy with. If she loved him, there’d be no reason to pursue him. Natsumi tried to think of another reason to not be in love with Kazuki, but couldn’t think of anything.

 

Instead of thinking about why she wouldn’t love him, she tried to think about why people would think she loved him. She spent a lot of time with him, but that was because she knew him for years. When others would look down on her due to her family, he’d stay. Kazuki was kind to her, but he was kind to almost everybody. Kazuki went out of his way for her multiple times. Perhaps he was the romantic type when in a relationship. When she clung onto him, Kazuki was warm, and she felt safe around him. 

 

Natsumi let out a groan. “He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a boy.”

 

The next day, Natsumi walked into the teacher’s room with her head hung low. Somehow, she managed to make her way over to Hajime’s desk. One look was all Hajime needed to jump from his seat, and ask Natsumi if she was okay. 

 

“I’m fine,” she mumbled.

 

“Was it another nightmare?” Hajime asked.

 

Natsumi shook her head. “No.” She lifted her head. Tears ran down her cheeks. “I spent a lot of time thinking last night. It turns out, you were right after all. Everybody except me was right.”

 


End file.
